1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water soluble attractant bait composition for the control of multiple species of social insects, particularly pest ant species. It also relates to the use of this composition to control multiple species of social insects in a comprehensive pest control program.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The lack of new social pest insect baits and formulations that attract multiple urban pest species has long been a problem. Commercial baits available today are targeted to only one type of pest species, such as oil-loving or sweet-loving insects, but not both. Social insects include ants, yellow jacket wasps, other pest wasps, and termites. Various species of pest ants are Solenopsis spp. (fire ants); Argentine ants, Linepithema humile; Pharaoh ants, Monomorium pharaonis; little black ants, Monomorium spp.; carpenter ants, Camponotus spp.; ghost ants, Tapinoma spp.; crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis; little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata; big-headed ants, Pheidole spp.; acrobat ants, Crematogaster spp.; and other oil-loving and sweet-loving pest ants. Various ant species pose significant problems for man from both an agricultural and health care point of view. In agriculture, pest ants attack cultivations and foodstuffs and can render fields and pastures unusable. Pest ants attack wooden buildings and structures in urban and rural areas. Furthermore, ants sting livestock and humans, sometimes causing death. For example, Argentine ants endanger crops by domesticating and protecting other pest insects such as aphids and scale. Fire ants, Solenopsis spp., are particularly destructive. For example, the ants sting humans and livestock, feed on germinating seeds and crop seedlings thereby reducing yields, and damage farm machinery which strike ants' mounds. Pharaoh ants, which are worldwide household pests, thrive in wall spaces and detritus. In hospitals, they forage in soiled bandages and contaminate clean dressings and food with pathogenic microorganisms. Other Monomorium species are pests because of their mere presence in structures. Camnonotus species or carpenter ants, form their nests in wood and other moist areas and although they do not consume the wood as termites do, they can cause structural damage. Ghost ants, Tapinoma melanoceghalum, nest in potted plants, soil, gravel, aluminum doors, and in organic material that collects at the base of palm fronds. Because the ants can be shipped with potted plants, they are also considered nuisance pests. Crazy ants, Paratrechina lonicornis, named so because of their rapid and erratic movements, are nuisances as they collect crumbs and debris around gas stations, cafes, and convenience stores. While not related to the imported fire ant, the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, can produce an irritating sting. They are found outdoors under bark, in rotting soil, and in pine cones and have been found in clothing, food and beds indoors. Pheidole megacephala, the big-headed ant, is a pest in agricultural crops (pineapple) where it tends honeydew producing insects and protects them from natural enemies. The big-headed ants are also a pest in the urban environment where large infestations often leave obvious piles of dead workers throughout the structure. Crematogaster species, a species that typically nests outdoors in hollow plant cavities, can also invade homes using branches and wires as a guideline. They have been known to short-circuit telephone wires and damage rafters, posts, shingles, insulation and fiberboard.
Attractants, for insect control, are used to lure insects to a toxicant and/or trap and they can be used to identify the presence, distribution, and population of an insect.
Most commercially available baits for pest ant control are formulated with either a vegetable oil, such as soybean oil, or a sugar as the attractant in the bait. Unfortunately, although these baits may attract one ant species, they usually will not be attractive to other important pest ant species. For example, baits used for fire ant control contain soybean oil as the attractant and thus are also attractive to other non-pest oil-loving ants. Sugar baits are used to attract sugar-loving ants but not oil-loving ants. In addition, the presently available sugar baits are not effective at controlling ants because the ants do not feed on these baits for very long. Furthermore, ants such as the Florida carpenter ants, Camponotus abdominalis floridanus; crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis; Argentine ant, Linepithema humile; and the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum have been very difficult to control with baits.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,658 to Hagarty discloses an insecticidal bait composition which is effective against ants, centipedes, earwigs, firebrats, German cockroaches, harvestmen, millipedes, sowbugs, spiders, and ticks. This composition includes the sugar maltose as an optional ingredient. However, the patent defines this as an attractant for sweet-loving ants and other sweet-loving insects. The patent further discloses other attractants for insects which prefer pulverized cereal, animal, or vegetable oils as attractants. The attractant is in proportions ranging from 0.1 parts to about 10 parts. The disclosed composition is formulated with different attractants depending on the specific population of insects that is to be controlled. It does not have an attractant that will attract insects regardless of a sweet, oil, cereal, or protein preference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,413 to Kohama et al. discloses a bait composition that is effective against a wide range of harmful insects such as cockroaches, pillbug, beetles, and ants, including Monomorium pharaonis, Monomorium niponense, Lasius fuliginosus, and Formica japonica. The composition includes crystalline cellulose, essential oil such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, wheat germ oil, etc.; crop product powders such as potato starch, sweet potato starch, corn starch, wheat flour, rice powder, corn powder, etc; a saccharide such as sucrose, glucose, D-fructose, lactose, black sugar, brown sugar, soft brown sugar, etc.; and an insecticide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,293 to Minagawa et al. discloses a poison bait composition for noxious insects including cockroaches, ants, beetles and termites. This composition includes an insect growth controlling agent, dextrin, and optionally a food attractant that is at least one of plant oils, sugars, cereal flours, crushed biscuit, and animal powders.
While various pest insect attractant compositions are available, there remains a need in the art for highly effective attractant formulations for the control of multiple species of pest social insects. The present invention provides an attractant formulation which is different from prior art attractants.